Miragem
by afrah11
Summary: After Hotch and JJ are taken hostage by an UnSub, Emily makes up her mind and realises that keeping secrets is not for the best as she originally thought.


_A/N: Hello everyone! This story is based on the prompt set by Angel N Darkness, Princess Aletheia and LacytheDemonicDuck. The song is 'A New Day has Come' by Celine Dion. Thank you so very much for reading my stories, it means a lot. Please let me know what you think. _

_It is the first time that I write a story form the second person POV, I hope I did it right._

_This story is dedicated to my wonderful friend **Didi :) Happy Birthday! **I hope you like it :D_

_Thank you so much to 'Musiclover14' for the readthrough! she totally rocks!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing from this show or its characters. I do not own the song 'A New Day has Come' or any other song performed or written by Celine Dion either._

* * *

**Miragem**

Your heart stops beating before exponentially increasing its pace when you heard the cries from some of the women at the police station, and is in that moment that you feel trapped and dizzy -as if the room started spinning around you.

You feel a strange numbness overwhelming your whole being as memories of that morning came to your mind and it feels as if you're hit by a ton of heavy bricks threatening to entomb you beneath them. You cannot help but wonder why the two of you almost always had to have the same ridiculous argument.

If it was to be any other day or situation, you would've not minded in the slightest- after all- it had become a routine in your lives for the past couple of months. Always the same argument that- one way or another- it ends up with him leaving the house before you. There are even the same words spoken that come along with a sigh from his part _"It's your choice Em" _before he kisses your forehead and heads to the office. You do not understand why it is so difficult for him to accept your reasoning, you're doing it for the best, always keeping in mind his and your best interest. However, in this particular moment, when the gunshot is fired, you wish with your whole heart that the discussion you two had three days ago, before taking the plane to Hennepin County, Minnesota never had happened at all.

Now that you think about it, it is ridiculous. It's always been, but somehow it felt right. But not anymore, in this moment, it feels as if the air supply was missing form your lungs. You cannot breath, and even when the shock lasted just a couple of seconds, to you, they are the longest ever.

* * *

Everything had been perfect, which was uncommon given your line of work, but for the first time, nabbing the UnSub was not that hard. On the contrary, the guy seemed to be leaving clues all around the crime scenes for you to find, just like Hansel and Gretel had left bread crumbs to remember the way back home- so did your UnSub.

After each murder, he had the habit of kissing the tip of his victims' noses before leaving the scene. When the coroner found saliva and DNA; neither of you could believe your luck, it was like winning the lottery. The local Leo's had three suspects in custody already -and one of them was the UnSub. When he was asked to give the police a sample of his DNA he complied eagerly. And that is how you were able to catch him.

This guy might've been a murderer, but he was not clever in the slightest, or so you thought, and that was the biggest mistake you've ever made.

After proving his culpability, JJ and Hotch were in the Interrogation room waiting for his signed confession. Nobody foretell what was about to happen then. The UnSub seemed to be about to sign the papers, and with that, you were all going to be able to get back home, instead, it was exactly when the nightmare- or more accurately- your nightmare began.

When JJ was distracted giving him the piece of paper he needed to sign, the guy kicked her shin which made her fall to the ground in matter of seconds. The UnSub was big compared to the petite blond and much more stronger, which gave him all the advantage over her and it was easy for him to subdue her. The UnSub quickly took hold of her gun and pointed it to her head. Hotch's reaction was fast and he was able to reach for his gun, but by the time he did, it was late. The UnSub was threatening JJ, and Hotch knew he had no chance, he knew he couldn't risk his co-workers' life. Maybe, if he was to be alone, he would've tried and play hero, but not with JJ's life on the line. Still, Hotch refused to let go of his gun. However, the UnSub- clearly desperate by Hotch's resistance- grabbed JJ by the hair and slammed her head forcefully against the table. And it was then - that Hotch chose to obey the UnSub and he placed his gun on top of the table in front of them. The UnSub then asked Hotch to place the chair- one that had been sitting in the corner- against the doorknob and to take a sit across from him. While giving the instructions, the UnSub shifted in his seat, making sure that he had JJ still on her knees. He then pulled JJ by her hair, and forced her face against the table again. She was crying now and the pain in her head was unbearable. Hotch knew JJ was hurting, even when she tried hard to conceal her whimpers so as to not give the UnSub the pleasure of knowing that he had subdued another woman -and one on the FBI nonetheless.

Even when Hotch did as the UnSub asked, what he did not know is that Hotch had a back up gun strapped at his ankle. Maybe the man who killed all those women was not the bragging man he had in front of him, but he was very smart indeed and if he really wanted for him and JJ to walk out from that place alive Hotch needed to be smarter than the UnSub. The team's profile proved to be correct, the UnSub hated women and he felt delighted seeing them suffering, in fact, what he was doing to JJ was exactly what he had done to all of his victims, all Hotch needed was to wait for the perfect moment to come. And he didn't had to wait long. The moment Hotch placed his gun on the table, the UnSub threw it to the opposite corner of the room. So when the UnSub lowered his head and placed his lips against the nape of JJ's neck Hotch saw his opportunity and grabbed his gun, at the time that he took JJ's gun from the UnSub's hand and pointed his at the guy. The UnSub was startled and tried to fight back, but JJ nudged at the his groin- with all the strength she was capable of at the time- which sent him to the ground in pain. Hotch asked JJ if she was okay and she nodded. Then he asked her to unbar the door so the officers could come in. And once again, everything seemed to be just fine, however, just when JJ was opening the door she heard the gun shot.

Whilst the UnSub twisted on the floor, he was able to take Hotch's gun and, without hesitation, he shot. This was something that no one was expecting and JJ only saw in slow motion how her unit chief fell down to the floor, blood coming profusely from his stomach.

* * *

Outside the interrogation room, everything was chaotic. Morgan and Rossi saw what happened through the glass, but all the events happened so fast and were so unexpected that it took them a couple of seconds to react, but by the time they did, and entered the interrogation room, Hotch was already lying on the floor. Morgan came in and kicked the gun out of the UnSub's hand who was just laughing at what he has just done. Rossi on the other hand, patted JJ's shoulder lightly before going straight to Hotch. He needed to apply some pressure against the wound. Somebody asked to call for an ambulance and it was then when you were able to get into the room and the sight that greeted you was not exactly the one you were expecting. You immediately came over and took Rossi's place by Hotch's side. You were not sure as to what had to be done, the last thing you wanted was to hurt him further.

"Can you take care of him"? asked Rossi, casting glances to where JJ was standing against the door. She looked like a lost child in the middle of Central Park. You nodded your head and caressed Aaron's face lightly with one hand while making pressure against his wound with the other. His eyes were fluttering, and his forehead was covered with pearls of sweat. You did you best to swallow the tears in your eyes and focused your attention in talking to him instead.

The UnSub was taken down by Morgan. All the while you kept talking to Hotch, whispering words of encouragement against his ear. You kept telling him that everything was going to be okay.

When the ambulance finally arrived, you wanted desperately to ride with Hotch, but JJ was injured as well, so she was the one taken along with Hotch.

Morgan and Reid stayed behind at the station to make sure that the UnSub wasn't going to cause any more damage while Rossi and you drove behind the ambulance.

* * *

Hotch was rushed in for surgery and JJ went to X-rays. When Rossi and you finally arrived at the Hospital, you were asked to wait in the waiting room.

It was just then that you noticed that your clothes were covered in blood- Hotch's blood- and so were your hands, but, at that moment you did not care. All you wanted to know was how was Hotch doing. You felt Rossi's eyes on you, he didn't need of his profiling skills to know that you're desperate, and he was too, but in your case, he knew it was different. Placing his hand on your elbow he asks you to go and clean up a bit, which you agree to with a tight smile. He promised to look for you if they had any news on Hotch or JJ.

You nod numbly and make your way into the ladies room. As soon as you reach the bathroom you close the door behind you and slide down to the floor. It was just then that you burst into tears. The guilt is eating you, Hotch was upset with you and now you are as well. Why couldn't you be honest and share the news with the rest of the team?

After a couple of minutes your cries subside into sobs and eventually they stop. It is then when you pushed yourself up from the floor and make your way to the sink. Looking at your reflexion on the mirror, you notice that your eyes are rimmed red and that your mascara is all around your face.

_Great Emily, now you look like a frigging raccoon_! Shaking your head, you clean up your face the best way you can, tuck your shirt inside your slacks and take a deep breath before you make your way back to the waiting room, where Rossi is waiting for you.

"Any news on them?" You ask, hoping that your voice comes out somehow calmed.

Rossi looks intently at you, taking into your dishevelled appearance, but says nothing. Instead, he answers your question. "JJ is now in a room, the doctor says that he wants to keep her overnight just to make sure, the blow that she received on her head was quite strong"

"Good". That assures you somehow. "How about Hotch?" In any other moment you would've tried to conceal your worries, but now you do not care. Plus, it's Rossi and not Strauss, the person in front of you at the moment. You know he's worthy of your trust.

"He's still in surgery. I'll be outside to call Morgan and Reid and then I'll go and check on JJ. Are you gonna be okay on your own?" He asks you, his voice laced with concern.

You nod "Yeah! Don't worry." You offer him a tight smile and by the look on his face, you know he doesn't believe you, but he lets it slip and you're grateful for that.

* * *

You sit down on one of the hard chairs and rest your head against the wall, closing your eyes and finding comfort in the coolness of it.

You have no idea how much time has passed, when the doctor finally comes out to let you know that Hotch is going to be okay, that the surgery was a success and that he's been taken to his room.

"Thank God!" You let escape as sound of relief, and follow the doctor to Hotch's room.

It's only when you see him, attached to all those wires and machines, that you realize that life is too short to be wasting it on arguments and discussions. You sit down next to his bed and take his hand in yours, lightly caressing the hairs of the back of his hand and fussing them up a bit.

And is in that moment, that you reach for the right pocket of your jacket and take out the gold band.

You roll it between your fingertips and smile as you remember the last time you wore it. It was just before the elevator reached the bullpen almost eighty hours ago.

You hold it up to your lips before placing it in your finger. A new day has finally come.

You're sure that it will bring a smile to his face when he wakes up and see you wearing it, your marriage will no longer be a secret .

You've finally made your decision.

**The End**


End file.
